1 Samuel 3:1–10

The Lord Calls Samuel

¹The boy Samuel was serving the Lord under Eli. In those days a prophecy from the Lord was rare; visions were infrequent. ²One night Eli was lying down in his room. His eyesight had begun to fail so that he couldn’t see well. ³The lamp in God’s temple^ahadn’t gone out yet, and Samuel was asleep in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was kept. 

⁴Then the Lord called Samuel. “Here I am,” Samuel responded. ⁵He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.” 

“I didn’t call ⸤you⸥,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So Samuel went back and lay down. 

⁶The Lord called Samuel again. Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am. You called me.” 

“I didn’t call ⸤you⸥, son,” he responded. “Go back to bed.” ⁷Samuel had no experience with the Lord, because the Lord’s word had not yet been revealed to him. 

⁸The Lord called Samuel a third time. Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am. You called me.” 

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹“Go, lie down,” Eli told Samuel. “When he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord. I’m listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his room. 

¹⁰The Lord came and stood there. He called as he had called the other times: “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak. I’m listening.”